How to Survive as a Genius Spy in the Game Chapter 48 - Poison Blooming in the Flowers (3)

Everyone knew that speed was crucial to their survival. 

When the Empire and Temerza had their swords pointed at each other, they had to escape with the least amount of pressure. 

Any extra burden would easily disrupt their delicate balance, and they would be the ones suffering the consequences.

The problem was Denif’s injured thigh. Even with the assistance of Winds, they couldn’t achieve enough speed. 

Proper healing was urgently needed as the bleeding continued despite applying a hemostatic agent.

“For now, let’s get down.” 

Carlyn said, and Timang nodded. Their priority was to get out of the enemy’s sight. 

Although it meant their immediate movement distance would be reduced, they needed to create confusion in the enemy’s direction from a long-term perspective.

Carlyn leaped down from the rooftop and quickly scanned his surroundings. 

Escaping the city was impossible; it was Imperial territory. Though things might be chaotic for now, ultimately, the Empire had a higher chance of winning.

‘After Temerza, we’ll be next.’ 

Even if they left the city with the wounded Denif, they would be pursued by the Empire.

He had to treat the injuries and escape. It was inevitable they would be like mice trapped in poison, but for now, they had to choose the lesser evil over the worst-case scenario.

Was there no better way? Carlyn’s mind raced with possibilities.

‘Damn it.’

At that moment, the Winds’ sense informed Carlyn that they were being pursued. It was the Empire. 

A wisely chosen pursuit that made him swear under his breath.

Understanding that they were formidable opponents, the Empire decided to send people instead of direct confrontation for effective containment.

‘Two…’

If it were only one, he might have considered a quick elimination, but two were impossible. 

They kept a certain distance from each other, indicating they preferred escape rather than a direct fight.

“Two agents trailing behind us.”

“How are we going to deal with them?”

“It’s tough.”

Timang let out a small curse and sighed. Denif seemed to be watching him with concern from the side. 

The situation didn’t look good.

“Damn it. Is our brain only for decoration?”

Nearly 40 agents from both sides were involved now. 

In such cases, there would usually be a commander overseeing the entire mission and giving orders.

Timang’s internal struggle deepened. He was making similar deductions to Carlyn, but he was even more pessimistic.

‘We may have to leave Denif behind…’

Completely ruling out escaping the city, but staying here was also a crazy idea. 

The Empire’s eyes were persistent. Once they caught someone, they wouldn’t let them leave their territory. 

Every day, more Empire agents would flock in.

The chances of being caught before Denif’s injuries healed were high. 

Leaving Denif behind and escaping as a duo was their best option for now. Timang felt sudden frustration.

He wished Carlyn had listened to him from the beginning. If he had, Carlyn would have turned around as soon as he saw the situation on the rooftop.

“At this point, we might have already left the city.”

With their dilemmas, conflicts, and regrets, the three of them hurriedly navigated through the alleys.

The pursuit was persistent. Denif, who was keeping an eye out, spoke up, 

“Maybe you should just leave me behind…”

“No. We’ll stick together.” 

He looked at Timang, but was interrupted by Carlyn, who was instead answering his question. Confused, Denif looked at Timang, who was in command.

Timang tried his best to ignore the look. He had to make a decision quickly.

There seemed to be no hope for the three of them to survive. No option seemed feasible.

Timang’s eyes narrowed as he glared at the back of Carlyn’s head.

‘Can he really abandon his friend?’

The recent words felt like they were directed not at Denif, but at himself. Timang gritted his teeth.

He had the ability, but he was still young.

It was a moment when his determination became firm.

If there was no other way, even if he had to abandon the two of them, he would escape alone. Timang made up his mind.

“Do you have any plans in mind?”

“…I’m still thinking.”

Carlyn was well aware of the risks of hiding in the city. Even if it was the first gathering point, they would be caught quickly.

He kept thinking and planning, burdened with both the pursuers and their escape route. His head felt as if it was overheating from the overload.

There was no solution. All they could do for now was to make a path.

In this city, there was only one Haisen person besides Aitami. Going to Aitami was not an option, was it?

And at that moment, Carlyn felt as if lightning struck his head.

“You mentioned it earlier. The command is with me. If we abandon Denif and move—”

“No.”

Interrupting me, despite having no alternative? He still hadn’t regained his senses. Timang frowned.

Carlyn stopped in his tracks and turned around. It was a moment when Timang was puzzled by his enigmatic expression.

“Now, we have a way to survive.”

Saying so, Carlyn gazed at the spies pursuing them from a distance.

“The two of you will go to Aitami.”

“What?”

Timang barely held back a curse. Go to Aitami? Was he out of his mind?

Denif was equally surprised. Carlyn’s face was calm, as if he was the only terrifying one.

The plan had changed.

And with the new plan, everyone could survive. There was still danger, but it was much safer than before.

“Simply reveal that we are part of the intelligence bureau. If you inform Count Aitami, he will be surprised and come to help.”

“What nonsense is that? He made a pact with the Empire…”

Timang paused. He could sense Carlyn’s intentions.

It didn’t matter if Aitami made a pact with the Empire. His family was part of Haisen.

Just the fact that Carlyn managed to escape would be enough to hold Aitami’s family as hostages.

Abandoning the two spies wouldn’t make any sense, as they would lose the attention of the Empire the moment they were betrayed by Haisen.

For a desperate and lost Haisen, there was nothing to gain from betraying them.

‘Is he a genius?’

Timang looked at Carlyn again. Until just a while ago, he thought Carlyn became an Inquisitor because of his Mystic and combat abilities.

But it wasn’t just that. There was a greater and safer chance of survival than going alone.

From Aitami’s perspective, if they didn’t want their family to suffer, they had to ensure their survival.

Suddenly, Carlyn looked attractive to Timang. However, there was still risk in this plan.

Carlyn, reading his worries through his eyes, added, 

“It doesn’t matter if my reputation is ruined. Survival is the priority.”

“That’s not it. You’re… too reckless.”

Timang let out a sigh. He was genuinely moved by Carlyn at this moment.

The flaw in this plan was Carlyn’s safety.

Even if Aitami made a pact with the Empire, until Carlyn was caught, they wouldn’t be killed.

With this level of commotion, the Haisen intelligence would soon detect it. Support would arrive within a few days.

Of course, there was a possibility that Carlyn could be caught, but based on his recent movements, they would have a few days.

Worst-case scenario, they all died, but Carlyn would be the first one to die.

“It’s alright. I won’t get caught. I’m sure of it.”

Carlyn smiled confidently.

“Timang, if possible, please assess the situation through Aitami. Whether he betrayed us or not, he’ll have to contact the Empire.”

This was the place they had come to have a private conversation, but it turned into a commotion. It was inevitable.

Timang nodded with a firm expression. Carlyn immediately took out a piece of paper from his pocket and scribbled down some words.

It was a message addressed to Aitami.

They came from the Haisen intelligence bureau to escort Count Aitami, but they were attacked by the Empire and Temerza espionage bureaus.

One of them managed to escape, but two are in a dangerous situation. Please come out and rescue us.

Carlyn quickly wrote down the message. In reality, they were here to monitor him, but did he know that?

Even if he realized it, he would come out soon enough.

‘That should do it.’

Carlyn pretended to put the letter back into his pocket and let it fall to the floor.

In the darkness, the paper, carried by the Wind, swiftly moved along the building’s walls.

It would reach Aitami within a minute.

It was a signal flare. Aitami would have certainly noticed it and realized that something was amiss.

Since Aitami would be looking out the window, the letter was a quick way to communicate.

“Let’s go. I’ll accompany you to the front of the inn.”

Carlyn read the signal conveyed through the wind. The Empire was gaining the upper hand.

They needed to move quickly. Otherwise, they might be surrounded by the Empire’s forces even before reaching the inn.

“…You don’t have to go that far.”

“It’s okay.”

Timang closed his eyes tightly. Going all the way to the front of the inn was too risky.

Even if Aitami came out, Carlyn would be pursued by the Empire’s men.

Was this child moving with the resolve to die? Timang thought that way.

Could this child endure for a few days?

“Hurry. The fight above is being settled.”

Walking ahead, Carlyn took out a signal flare from his pocket. It wasn’t from the intelligence bureau but rather from the Haisen military.

He intended to use it if the Empire’s men surrounded them.

Seeing the distant surveillance team not approaching, Carlyn quickly headed toward the inn. And soon enough, they arrived.

A single sky-blue flash soared into the sky. Aitami, by the window, would see it.

* * *

As Carlyn had anticipated, Aitami was standing by the window, holding a sword, gazing intently.

Behind him stood two guards, standing firmly.

The moment the signal flare exploded, he sent the woman who was with him outside. Something was happening.

Should he go out to find out? He was torn between conflicting emotions as it was the Empire’s territory.

Since the upscale inn wasn’t very tall, the view from the roof was partially obscured.

Combat was taking place above. Judging by the appearance, it seemed to be the intelligence bureau agents.

‘Who could be the opponent of the Empire’s dogs?’

Although he was the one who came for a private meeting, the current situation was quite unexpected.

He wondered if it had anything to do with him, but even after careful consideration, he couldn’t find any reason for it.

He was a frontier count from Haisen, adjacent to Temerza, but he was a loyal man to his mission.

His relationship with the king wasn’t bad either.

Neither Haisen nor the Empire had any reason to try to kill him or to prevent it.

The same went for the opposite case.

“What’s… happening?”

“What’s going on?”

In that instant, a piece of paper came in through the gap in the window. Startled, Aitami’s guards quickly followed behind him.

Aitami hastily reached out his hand. The letter stopped, caught on the window frame.

Although he couldn’t feel the presence of anyone since the piece of paper flew in because of Mystic.

He carefully picked up the letter. His eyes reading through it seemed to twitch abruptly.

A request for support from the Haisen intelligence bureau.

It said that they came to escort the Margrave but were attacked by the Empire and Temerza agents, and one escaped successfully, but two others failed. (+) ^[1] TLN: Note that Margrave and Count are kinda the same. But all you need to know (in case you don’t know the difference (like me)) is that while Margrave is the same as the title Count, Margrave is usually used for a Count (or Earl) that is holding a frontier district of the Kingdom.

‘Damn it.’

Aitami immediately realized that the situation outside was going terribly.

Although he thought it had nothing to do with him, it turned out otherwise.

The Haisen intelligence bureau came to escort him?

This was absurd beyond absurdity. It meant that he was being suspected, of possibly collaborating with the Empire.

He was supposed to marry the first and second sons of a central Haisen noble after his mission, and this was the third son’s turn.

Therefore, he didn’t give much thought to it. That was the problem.

‘Even if that’s the case…’

He felt betrayed, but it wasn’t important now.

The Haisen intelligence bureau was watching him. It was the Chief of Intelligence Harvan Brusek’s intention.

If he didn’t go to help, it was a fact that his family would all die.

His subordinates and the territory he had worked hard to establish would also be gone.

Even if he tried to escape, the Empire wouldn’t accept him. They might acknowledge his abilities to some extent, but he would be nothing more than a frontier noble.

Assassins would come for him as well, and Brusek’s cruelty was beyond imagination.

Just then, a sky-blue signal flare shot up.

It was a familiar light. It was a signal flare used by the Haisen military. The inn was close to it.

Aitami immediately opened the window wide. Leaving behind his startled guards, he jumped out and ran at full speed.

The lives of the men who were sent to spy on him were soon to be his and his family’s lives as well.

“Stop right there!”

The Margrave quickly assessed the situation. There were sixteen individuals surrounding the three.

Wasn’t one of them supposed to have escaped?

It was dark, and they were all wearing masks, but identifying them was easy.

Blood was oozing from the thigh of one of their own agents.

“See, just wait a little longer.”

One of them in the middle spoke.

They were all wearing masks covering their faces up to their noses, making it hard to see clearly, but the Margrave could tell from their eyes that they were young.

The injured agent seemed to be young as well. Were even young agents present in the intelligence bureau?

The feeling of betrayal subsided a bit. Perhaps these young agents were on some sort of field training.

“I am Aitami Lewen, the Margrave of Haisen. These people are here to escort me. What in the world is going on?”

The Margrave asked, but none of the Empire’s dogs answered.

Instead, they exchanged glances with each other. One of them nodded, and they took a step back.

Aitami saw the young man who spoke earlier smiling.

“Thank you, Count.”

As Carlyn said that, he pulled two strings from his sleeve, and a flashbang and smoke grenade fell unnoticed.

First came the flashbang.

Flash-! For a brief moment, the darkness disappeared, and it felt like the sun had risen.

Even though he reflexively closed his eyes for a moment, most of them couldn’t immediately open them.

And then the smoke enveloped the people through the winds.

It was an unexpected turn of events. There were no Imperial dogs prepared to respond.

By the time Aitami opened his eyes, the young man had disappeared.

The Imperial dogs were a beat too late, rushing out of the scene.

“Stop right there!”

The Margrave’s sharp command echoed through the city at night.

• 1. TLN: Note that Margrave and Count are kinda the same. But all you need to know (in case you don’t know the difference (like me)) is that while Margrave is the same as the title Count, Margrave is usually used for a Count (or Earl) that is holding a frontier district of the Kingdom.